BENEFITS OF NATURAL

LIGHTING IN BUILDINGS
Tropical
Design

Natural lighting is one of the most important aspects of

architecture for its impact on the wellbeing of humans, energy
conservation, and enriching the spaces. Till the 1940s, natural
light was the only source of light in buildings. But after the
discovery of electrical lighting, in a short span of twenty years
all the buildings fulfilled the lighting requirements of all the
occupants. Recently due to focus on energy conservation, once
again natural lighting is being integrated into the buildings, and
research on its impact on people is thoroughly studied.

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 How natural lighting is done inside a room ©www.btlpropertyltd.co.uk

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Tropical
Design
2 Enhancing the quality of space
Proper integration of natural lighting into built-up space increases the value of space. The spaces look larger, and
large openings let the natural flow of greenery inside the building. Proper control of sunlight through openings can
also enhance the quality of interior decorations.

“I sense Light as the giver of all presences and material as spent Light. What is made by Light casts a
shadow and the shadow belongs to Light. “LOUIS KAHN

Dining room with natural lighting ©www.btlpropertyltd.co.uk

Corridor ©www.btlpropertyltd.co.uk

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Natural lighting has a lot of biological importance as sunlight triggers production of Vitamin D on our body and also cure
Rickets, reduces strain on eyes, reduction of dental problems, bilirubin degradation, breaking down of carbohydrates,
protein and fat, the development of white blood cells, improvement in the activity of the nervous system, and the
regulation of blood pressure.

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 5 Improves psychological well
being
Tropical Natural lighting improves our mood, enhances morale, increases energy levels (due to suppression of Melatonin), lower
Design rates of stress-related sick calls, prevents SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) which is one of the root causes of depression,
induces quality and more sleep.

Sunligh t s pectra l com pos ition © www.bbntim es .com

6 Benefits of office workers

The people who work in the office, most of them face pressure from different angles, sometimes they don’t even like to do
monotonous jobs and may feel tired after some time of working. Natural lighting in the office environment does play an
important role in better health, reduced absenteeism, increased productivity, financial savings of the office manager,
decrease in accidents, an increased level of mental performance, improvements in sleep quality, and an increase in morale.

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 IIM Bangalore by BV Doshi ©www.thinkmatter.in

IIM Bangalore by BV Doshi ©www.thinkmatter.in

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 8 Benefits in retail markets
Tropical Retail markets are the place which solely depends on marketing and customer to seller relationship. In recent years there is
Design a trend to allow natural lighting inside the store because to enhance their store environment, increase sales, create a more
pleasant shopping environment, attract customers, and improve color renderings. The natural lighting also let the customer
feel more welcoming, the store feeling cleaner, the store was brighter, the store felt more spacious and open. Retailers like
Wal-Mart, Target, Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI) in Seattle, Washington; Lamb’s Thriftway Store in
Portland, Oregon; etc. have observed many benefits of natural lighting inside the store.

Natural lighting in Retail shops ©www.brookfieldpropertiesretail.com

City Center Kolkata by Charles Correa ©www.mouthshut.com

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 9
Tropical In hospitals, the mental condition of the patient is the most important factor, and letting nature and light improve the
Design condition of the patient and helps to recover quickly. The hospitals with good natural lighting have reduced the mental and
physical strain of patients, doctors, and nurses improved the doctor-patient relationship and helped the patient not go into
depression or stress postoperative. The patient also feels a sense of spirituality, openness, and freedom from the prison-like
environments.

Bendigo Hospital by Bates Smart ©www.indesignlive.com

10 Benefits in industrial environments

Industrial environments are mostly associated with monotonous and physical labor to a great extent. There is a notion to
keep the industry windowless to keep the environment dust-free, but the workers in the industry have shown problems like
increased permeability of skin capillaries, decreased white cell activity, and increased catarrhal infections and colds. The
negative impact on worker’s health let the productivity of workers go down and hence, increase the cost of products. The
workers in the windowless industry have also negative impact on behavior like feeling claustrophobic and unhappiness,
absenteeism problems, and increased vandalism.

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Tropical
Design

Warehouse in Mexico ©www.blog.palram.com

Natural light is the cause of life on planet earth, it has played a key role in the development of organisms on earth and also
the advancement of the human race. Natural light in architecture not only lights up space but proper designing makes the
space more dramatic and dynamic.

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